Self-care and mental health help to make a happier you!

Caring for your mental health means taking care of your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Taking care of mental health is essential to your overall health and quality of life. Over time, mental health issues can become a mental illness that can affect the ability to function causing problems in your daily life. Some of the signs and symptoms of mental illness include feeling sad, unable to concentrate, excessive fears, mood changes, fatigue, detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations, substance abuse, anger, suicidal thinking, etc.

We spoke to Dr Girishchandra, Sr. Consultant - Psychiatry, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, he says, "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 5 adults experiences at least one mental health condition every year. Mental health can affect our mood, thinking and behavior. From time to time, many of us have mental health concerns and it is of utmost importance to address them. Therefore, it is very important for us to focus on our mental health and keep ourselves mentally safe. In order to do so, let us learn how to de-stress ourselves and focus on self-care."

He says, "Following a routine offers a way to promote health and wellness through structure and organisation. It has been proven that those who follow a regular routine in their life can effectively manage their stress better, sleep better which can improve their overall health. One can follow a routine for sleep, eat, bath, work, etc. It can be fun and don't need to be boring. Also, daily exercise for 45-60 min is essential to keep your mind and body fit."

Here are some of the self-care tips include:

1. Me time - Make at least 5-10 minutes in a day for yourself. Sit with yourself. Identify and consider your feelings. Tell yourself "It's Okay" to feel so.

2. Grooming - Consider simple makeup or a face pack to help you relax, rejuvenate, feel fresh and good about yourself.

3. Prayer - A space to keep yourself safe. Praying for self is definitely helpful in unloading our worries.

4. Journaling - Reflection of our thoughts and feelings over the course of the day in a few sentences helps us keep track of ourselves.

5. Gratitude Journal - Expressing our thanks to the people who helped us through the day is another way to keep us emotionally balanced. This can be done by maintaining a gratitude journal.

6. Sunshine - Getting exposed to sunlight, taking in the fresh air on the balcony or terrace is the best form of self care. It helps us refresh and also reflect upon our state of mind.

7. Art - expressing ourselves through drawing, paintings, sketches or even craftwork would help us unveil the distress.

8. Relaxation exercise - Deep breathing helps us let go of the stress accumulated in ourselves. A simple exercise would be on the count of 4-2-6. Count 4 on the mind, take in deep breath. Hold it for 2 seconds. Release the breath on the count of 6 on the mind and let go the stress.

9. Happy time – Make yourself happy. Engage in activities that make you happy and forget your worries. It can be spending time with your close friends, talking, going out, watching TV, reading books, cooking, etc.

10. Worry Time- Worrying throughout the day creates more anxiety and panic. Thus, setting a space for worry has found to help.